Enough negativity from the fans, some reality

[jarmanagic]

I'm sick of reading negative rubbish from Crows fans. Craig no good, Massie no good, Perrie no good, Knights no good, Gill no good (actually I might agree with that one). The reality is

OUR YEAR HAS BEEN RUINED BY INJURY. SIMPLE

Happens to 1-2 clubs each year

Forward line particularly affected

Roo
Henstchel
Burton
Mcgregor
Bode

are our best 5 forwards

all have been unable to make any contribution this year due to injury. Burton was just starting to in last few weeks, guess what reinjured

Add Bassett/Johncock. Reilly all missing 6-8 weeks with ankles
Ruttens knee
Bock groin
Biglands

Almost all collision injuries, not soft tissue, just bad luck

What can you do?

The result is we play Geelong with 2 of their top 30 injured, we have 10 of our top 30 out (Roo/Hentschel/Biglands/Bode/Welsh/Bassett/McGregor/Doughty), as well as Huddo, Vince suspended, just cant win, brave defeat really. Same thing happened last time we played Geelong
Result of these injuries (plus suspensions) is we had to go to too many of our 30-35 list players, for mine Perrie/Gill/Griffen/ Jericho and maybe Douglas. Not all will be 30-35 listed players forever, they are at the moment. No club has endless depth, we've got more than most, cant cope with that though

I'm not one for sugarcoating. Our club has made mistakes this year of course.
I though suspending Huddo for a minor infraction was stupid (see first 15 mins, Ottens smashed us in ruck, game over)
Dont understand management of Mattner
Jericho?????

But injury has ruined 07. Stop complaining Crows fans, bad luck, we'll move on to 08 (maybe sneak into the finals and knock Port off on our way out)

 

[jenny61_99]

How can you say enough negativity and then go on to slam the Hudson suspension, gill being no good and the match committee's decision to drop Mattner and bring in jericho. You are no better than the rest of them!

 

[Campbell's Chunky]

Most of it is not negativity, but realism.

 

[TheLeftFist8]

Don't agree with all your assessments re specific players/examples but for anyone to be constructively critical of our performances this year (which they should be) without accounting for the huge injury impact is naive and unrealistic.

For this reason, i am one of the minority who believes we are a major contender for the flag in 08, given a decent run with injury. Many will suggest our list is not good enough, and yes we are vulnerable in a couple of areas (most obviously key forward), but overall we have a 'best 22' capable of improving enough to match it with anyone next year.

 

[fightingdreamer88]

We'll be back in 08 and there will be a Sellarbration on the last Saturday in September. We're also still in with a chance to make it this year, as unlikely as it may be.

 

[crowman_23]

Admittedly we have had a horrid run with injuries this season but I can't see us having any real impact next season as we won't be any closer to having a forward line. hentschel may never be right again, it's a matter of waiting and finding out, Roo is done, Bode is ageing and has always been an injury prone type and Burton has always been injury prone aswell. We do have an ageing midfield, we have some good youngsters coming through but our stars are coming closer and closer to retirement. (Thought Edwards showed many signs on the weekend)

The skill level we have shown of late has also been awful. It is not up to the lofty standards we have set ourselves in the last couple of seasons. So yes injury has played a role in our inconsistent season but it is not the sole reason and we cannot use it as an excuse. There are many other issues the club will need to work through to ensure a more successful 08.

 

[Redlegs14]

I am going to put my Bigfooty account on the line here: The Crows, having lost this game, will beat both Geelong and West Coast now. If they don't I will close this account and never come back, ever. No other aliases, no technicalities, I won't return.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Just a reminder of what you said a few weeks ago.

We'll be back in 08 and there will be a Sellarbration on the last Saturday in September. We're also still in with a chance to make it this year, as unlikely as it may be.

So are you prepared to put your bigfooty account on the line again?

Because unless you have reasons to back up this flimsy rubbish comment, please refrain from making baseless predictions.

 

[Crow-mo]

Most of it is not negativity, but realism.

most overly negative people say that

 

[Stiffy_18]

Admittedly we have had a horrid run with injuries this season but I can't see us having any real impact next season as we won't be any closer to having a forward line. hentschel may never be right again, it's a matter of waiting and finding out, Roo is done, Bode is ageing and has always been an injury prone type and Burton has always been injury prone aswell. We do have an ageing midfield, we have some good youngsters coming through but our stars are coming closer and closer to retirement. (Thought Edwards showed many signs on the weekend)

The skill level we have shown of late has also been awful. It is not up to the lofty standards we have set ourselves in the last couple of seasons. So yes injury has played a role in our inconsistent season but it is not the sole reason and we cannot use it as an excuse. There are many other issues the club will need to work through to ensure a more successful 08.

How could you possibly know that?!

We haven't even finished the season off yet and we already know what our list will look like next year

While I agree that we can't pin our hopes on Hentschel until he proves he can play at a high level again, we don't know what moves will be made in the off season. We could end up with a ready made key forward out of the trade week, or one of many key forward prospects might have a pre-season to remember and become a key component for us. Many players were "made" in a pre-season. Could happen here.

I think all things being equal, we will be good next year. If we can have a decent run with injuries and get a good pre-season into our squad, we will be a finals side next year and top 4 is not out of the question.

 

[Campbell's Chunky]

most overly negative people say that

Nah, I'm a generally positive person, but really, there's positivity and then blind optimism, rose coloured glasses etc etc etc.

 

[KUNG FU]

My "negativity" has been generally directed at the prospects to the future of the club. I don't blame the club for how bad this season has gone. There has been some mistakes, but I think they've done very well in the circumstances. Doesn't mean I can't gripe at how average some of the players on our list and hope that younger, more exciting propsects gradually take their places. However, I don't think we are really facing up to the decline we will face in the next few years. I hope Craig makes some real hard decisions in the next few weeks and in 2008. I don't want to wait for another shot at the top 4. The great clubs keep their players cycling through and consistently push for the 8. Adelaide has stagnated in this department.

 

[crowman_23]

How could you possibly know that?!

We haven't even finished the season off yet and we already know what our list will look like next year

While I agree that we can't pin our hopes on Hentschel until he proves he can play at a high level again, we don't know what moves will be made in the off season. We could end up with a ready made key forward out of the trade week, or one of many key forward prospects might have a pre-season to remember and become a key component for us. Many players were "made" in a pre-season. Could happen here.

I think all things being equal, we will be good next year. If we can have a decent run with injuries and get a good pre-season into our squad, we will be a finals side next year and top 4 is not out of the question.

Well lets hope good things do happen over the off season. Because if they don't we are no closer to solving the clubs major problems.

 

[fightingdreamer88]

So are you prepared to put your bigfooty account on the line again?

Because unless you have reasons to back up this flimsy rubbish comment, please refrain from making baseless predictions.

I'm so sorry Greenlegs23, I will have to keep my posts 193% serious at all times so as not to offend you. I guess you aren't in any mood to Sellarbrate in 2008, the year of OUR THE Adelaide Crows Premiership.

*throws flimsy rubbish at purplethighs19*

 

[Redlegs14]

I'm so sorry Greenlegs23, I will have to keep my posts 193% serious at all times so as not to offend you. I guess you aren't in any mood to Sellarbrate in 2008, the year of OUR THE Adelaide Crows Premiership.

*throws flimsy rubbish at purplethighs19*

All I am saying is there is absolutely nothing to suggest "we'll be back in 08".

It's just not going to happen, unless things change, and Neil Craig gets off his high horse and realises that trading is part and parcel of being an AFL coach.

 

[CarnCrows]

All I am saying is there is absolutely nothing to suggest "we'll be back in 08".

It's just not going to happen, unless things change, and Neil Craig gets off his high horse and realises that trading is part and parcel of being an AFL coach.

Agree with that - NC needs to make the hard calls. I think he started doing it last year, this year more calls need to be made.

 

[fightingdreamer88]

All I am saying is there is absolutely nothing to suggest "we'll be back in 08".

It's just not going to happen, unless things change, and Neil Craig gets off his high horse and realises that trading is part and parcel of being an AFL coach.

Gee, you think?

I am confident we'll be back in 08.

 

[AndrewJo]

All I am saying is there is absolutely nothing to suggest "we'll be back in 08".

It's just not going to happen, unless things change, and Neil Craig gets off his high horse and realises that trading is part and parcel of being an AFL coach.

Went searching for trades and could only find 2005 trades.
The official trades:


Fergus Watts (Adel) to St Kilda (for pick 17)
Paul Chambers (Geel) to Sydney (for pick 35)
Richard Cole (Coll) to Essendon (for pick 23)
Daniel McConnell (WCE) & pick 18, ontraded to Kangaroos (for pick 13 & 29)
Ted Richards (Ess) & pick 55 to Sydney (for pick 19 & 51)
Patrick Bowden (Bulldogs) to Richmond (for pick 56)
Jason Saddington (Sydney) to Cartlon (for pick 52)
Jonathan Hay (Haw) to Kangaroos (for pick 18)
Byron Pickett (PA) & picks 54 & 62 to Melbourne (for picks 28, 44 & 60)
Nathan Lonie (Haw) & pick 54, ontraded to Port Adelaide (for pick 14)
Jade Rawlings (Bulldogs) & pick 43 to Kangaroos (for picks 28 & 46, ontraded to Port & Melb)
Mark Powell (Swans) to Kangaroos (for pick 61)
Daniel Motlop (Kangaroos) to Port Adelaide (for picks 28 & 46, ontraded to Melb)

Even with hindsight can you see any of those being a great addition for the Crows. Motlop maybe but he has been injury prone, especially in his early days at Port.

I think trades are over-rated. Has anyone the list of trades for last year?

 

[AndrewJo]

All I am saying is there is absolutely nothing to suggest "we'll be back in 08".

It's just not going to happen, unless things change, and Neil Craig gets off his high horse and realises that trading is part and parcel of being an AFL coach.

I also found the 2006 trades. Realistically were there any here who would have moved to SA that could have bolstered the Crows?? Undoubtedly there have been players that they tried to entice during Trade week that were unsuccessful.
Trades (post 2006 season)Player NameOriginal ClubNew ClubTraded ForJason AkermanisBrisbane LionsWestern BulldogsPick #34Andrew McDougallWest Coast EaglesWestern BulldogsPick #29 and #59Shane BirssWestern BulldogsSt KildaPick #59Graham Polak and Pick #13FremantleRichmondPick #8 (ontraded to Collingwood)Paul MedhurstFremantleCollingwoodChris TarrantPeter EverittHawthornSydney SwansPick #33Chris TarrantCollingwoodFremantlePick #8 and Paul MedhurstMichael Gardiner and Pick #59West Coast EaglesSt KildaPick #43Dean SolomonEssendonFremantlePick #42 and #47

 

[Mong]

I think trades are over-rated. Has anyone the list of trades for last year?

I agree. Last year everyone was saying how teams such as Fremantle and Western did well in trades to improve their list and would be right up there. They aren't. Once again trades have not been a factor in which teams have improved and which teams haven't. Geelong and the Kangaroos have improved for seemingly no reason at all other than the up and down nature of the AFL. Don't get me wrong, Geelong have a good list but they did last year aswell. Sometimes things just all go wrong and sometimes things click. We've had one of those years where things go bad. Next year things might come together again for us, or they might not. But there is no defined path that says we are now on the way down, and it will continue.

 

[CaptainDangerfield]

Don't agree with all your assessments re specific players/examples but for anyone to be constructively critical of our performances this year (which they should be) without accounting for the huge injury impact is naive and unrealistic.

For this reason, i am one of the minority who believes we are a major contender for the flag in 08, given a decent run with injury. Many will suggest our list is not good enough, and yes we are vulnerable in a couple of areas (most obviously key forward), but overall we have a 'best 22' capable of improving enough to match it with anyone next year.

Agree. i think we are a damn good chance next year, provided we have better luck with injuries.

As for this year, without Trent H and our second choice ruckman, I never expected us to be a genuine premiership contender. However, even before our disasterous run of injury, I thought Craigy would invest more in youth which he has failed miserably to do. I have seen a new side to Craigy this year. His development of youth has been Gary Ayres like and his treatment of certain players has also been Gary Ayres like (Matty Bode), Mattner, Campbell.

As much as I hope Criagy will be the long term coach we have searched for, if he has another year like this one he won’t be coaching the AFC in 3 years time.

 

[fightingdreamer88]

Agree. i think we are a damn good chance next year, provided we have better luck with injuries.

As for this year, without Trent H and our second choice ruckman, I never expected us to be a genuine premiership contender. However, even before our disasterous run of injury, I thought Craigy would invest more in youth which he has failed miserably to do. I have seen a new side to Craigy this year. His development of youth has been Gary Ayres like and his treatment of certain players has also been Gary Ayres like (Matty Bode), Mattner, Campbell.

As much as I hope Criagy will be the long term coach we have searched for, if he has another year like this one he won’t be coaching the AFC in 3 years time.

I do wonder if some of it is frustration. I mean he knows that with a full list he's got what he needs to win that flag and for three years everything has gone against him when it has counted. Of course, even if that's the case it would be unprofessional to take it out on the list....eh just a thought.

 

[The Crows Truth]

. I have seen a new side to Craigy this year. His development of youth has been Gary Ayres like and his treatment of certain players has also been Gary Ayres like (Matty Bode), Mattner, Campbell.

what the? Bode has been injured, Campbell played one pretty ordinary game when our injury list was high before being dropped and Mattner has been dreadfully out of form in the role he is required to perform for the team.

 

[Crow-mo]

Nah, I'm a generally positive person, but really, there's positivity and then blind optimism, rose coloured glasses etc etc etc.

nah there's still the irrational view of what is and isn't 'real'.

 

[Crow-mo]

All I am saying is there is absolutely nothing to suggest "we'll be back in 08".

It's just not going to happen, unless things change, and Neil Craig gets off his high horse and realises that trading is part and parcel of being an AFL coach.

great argument.

what else is going to happen tomorrow?

 

[King Elvis]

We'll be back in the top 6 next year, possibly the top 4.